


rebirth

by Rethira



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-31
Updated: 2014-10-31
Packaged: 2018-02-23 10:06:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2543612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rethira/pseuds/Rethira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He will never sing again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	rebirth

**Author's Note:**

> a nagamas pinch hit fill for [theonlytoner](http://theonlytoner.tumblr.com/) on tumblr!
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!

The day his daughter was born, his other shape was totally lost to him. Never again would he feel the wind in his feathers. Never again would he walk amongst his brethren, full feathered and peaceful.

Never again would he sing.

 

When she wakes, Ashera doesn’t ask for his voice. She asks for his magic and his loyalty, but not for a song.

He’s never sure whether he’s thankful or not.

 

There is something calming in the forest again; Serenes is full of life, and herons walk amongst the trees. Young Leanne has a beautiful voice, high and clear and beautiful. More than once he finds her surrounded by wild animals, humming softly to them, her gentle hands cradling a bird or a mouse.

She asks, sometimes, if he will sing with her, but she’s never surprised when he declines.

 

Rafiel sings to him. Not simply nearby, or within his hearing, but _to_ him. He has a good voice. It was probably pure and light once, but now... there is a thread of sadness run through it. Just enough to tell of what he has lost.

He likes Rafiel’s voice.

 

Reyson doesn’t sing for him. Reyson barely talks to him – Reyson’s heart is jagged edges whenever he visits. He doesn’t visit often. It’s not hard to understand why. Eventually, Reyson will forgive and forget. It’s in the nature of herons.

It’s just another thing he lost.

 

Daein’s Queen never visits. A tiny orange bird does from time to time, and Yune whispers, “We do forgive you, we do,” but he thinks she’s probably talking about herself and Ashera, rather than young Micaiah. Yune never stays long in any case, and he tries to forget the world beyond Serenes’ borders.

Maybe this was why herons should never have left the forest.

 

It is many years before Sanaki visits, he thinks. Many years, and yet no time at all, for all of the changes that reach him.

She is beautiful. Taller than Altina ever was, and her hair is richer in colour. Of course, she never held Ragnell or Alondite, but surely the tome hidden in her sleeve is a good substitute. And by her expression, he can see that she is still the fierce young Empress who took to the battlefield against him.

She calls him by his given name for the first time. “Lehran.” Her mouth is unused to the word, to the shape of it on her lips. She would prefer his old name.

“Empress,” he replies, and the formality wounds her. Perhaps that’s what he wants.

Her eyes soften a little. “I should have visited before,” she says.

He nods absently, not out of any sort of agreement, but more akin to an acknowledgement of her having spoken.

“Leanne tells me you’ve been well,” she continues.

“It has been a long time,” he replies. His wings flex, and her eyes are drawn to them. There’s a flicker of surprise. She hasn’t seen his wings before, at least, not like this.

“You look better than before,” she murmurs. “I’m glad you could... go home. If you’d ever like to visit-” For a moment, she is that child again. The child he half carried to her throne, the child drowning in heavy robes and still demanding that her ‘uncle’ let her ride on his shoulders. She will always be that child to him.

“I don’t believe that would be wise,” he replies, kindly.

Sanaki bows her head. “Of course. I shall take my leave.”

She doesn’t say goodbye.

 

Her visits come frequently after that. Seasons barely have the chance to change before she appears at his door, her long robes dragging ungracefully through mud and leaf litter alike. She chatters like the child she was, about this and that – Lady Sigrun and Lady Tanith are proud of the new crop of pegasus knights, young Levail is proving to be an excellent General, and Begnion is flourishing, even without the Apostle’s foresight.

She mentions, in passing, that Naesala visits her frequently, and he finds that his wings hunch up around his shoulders defensively. She laughs when she notices, or perhaps she’s merely laughing to see him react so obviously. Perhaps she’s simply laughing for the joy of it.

He begins to look forward to her visits. She brings, however briefly, life and light with her. His last link to Altina.

If there was anyone he would have chosen to save, it would have been her.

 

One day, he comes back to his small cottage to find that Sanaki is already within.

She is humming softly, reading an old tome he’d left on the table. It’s not the Galdr of Release, but the tune _is_ a galdr – not a powerful one, more a lullaby than anything. But to hear the tune coming from _her_ -

“You never sing,” Sanaki says.

“Of course not,” he replies. It feels like the words are torn from his throat.

“All herons sing,” Sanaki replies.

He turns away from her. “I cannot.”

“Please?” she asks. She sings this time, properly. A lullaby, nothing more. “Sing with me,” she asks.

 

His voice cracks and shudders. He cannot hold a note. The tune defies him.

But Sanaki holds his hand and sings, and leans into him when his wing curves around her shoulder.

Perhaps for now, it doesn’t matter.

 

He sings again.


End file.
